Night at the Museum
by Sarruby
Summary: Alex is kidnapped. What a rescue team! What an invitation to the science museum! What a blast! Oh darn, that's a real blast. What a ripped-off title! After Snakehead. Separate from main plot. Has Jack, Wolf, Snake, and Alex.
1. Kidnapped

AN: My third fan-fiction. Soon, I will be a qualified beta-reader!

If you've wondered why I wasn't posting much recently, it was because I was working on this one.

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Alex waved his arms and shouted out, "Car Wash to your left!" to the oncoming traffic. The football team had not received much money from the budget for this year, so the team members were running a variety of fundraisers.

Alex was standing on the street on the little patch often found in between the two lanes, advertising for the car wash at the gas station nearby and accepting donations when cars held them out their windows. He ran up to a Jeep that had a dollar dangling from a hand and profusely thanked the driver before the traffic light turned green. The dollar fell into a nearly full jar; not that a passerby could see the money already collected.

Alex ran across the street with the walking sign to drop off the donation he had collected. He helped wash a few cars and then ran back out for more donations.

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As it grew to be the afternoon, Alex was starting to get a bit tired. The coach preferred that he collected donations, claiming Alex raised the most. Alex didn't know why he did- most of the cars he got money from had cute girls in them, though, and he swore he saw one car at least 4 times; it hadn't gotten a wash yet, though.

"Get your car cleaned at the gas station to your left!" Alex cried. Tom was standing beside him, holding the sign for advertising. Another person held out some money, so Alex, being the runner, darted up the large minivan to accept the donation.

As Alex reached for the money, the driver's other hand caught his wrist and pulled him towards the car. Alex obliged, startled, but tried to twist away when the man turned the money over to reveal a hypodermic syringe. It was inserted into his wrist as the passenger door slid open next to him.

Black spots formed in the corners of Alex's vision. He heard Tom calling out and felt arms drag him into the car's midsection before he lost consciousness.

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"Mr. Blunt, Mrs. Jones, we have received a threat," said one of the office workers as she entered the bland office.

"What is it?" Alan Blunt asked, comfortably seated behind her desk.

"A boy was kidnapped on Riverbed Street today, and the two kidnappers are demanding a ransom from the government for the boy's safe return."

"Then why are we being contacted? This sounds like the police's job," Mrs. Jones asked.

"The boy was Alex Rider, ma'am," the secretary answered. "The kidnappers had threatened to hurt the child if the government did not pay. The amount wasn't outrageous, but the government refused to pay into their bank accounts because there was no guarantee that the kidnappers would return the boy. Police are on the lookout, but there's not much hope." The threesome in the room all knew that the government would hush up any 'mistakes'.

Mrs. Jones didn't waste a moment. "I want all agents on duty trying to find him, if possible. We do owe him a few favors."

Alan Blunt added to her comment. "It would also be ideal to keep him in good condition should a need arise." Mrs. Jones stiffened but didn't speak.

"Right away, sir. Should we attempt to involve the Secret Air Service?" A pair of curt nods came in reply. "Very well, sir, ma'am." The secretary left the room.

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Alex awoke. He didn't know where he was, but his wrists were duct taped together behind a simple office chair with wheels. He realized he was in some sort of a car when the 'room' turned and stopped. As his senses grew sharper, Alex eavesdropped on the robber's conversation in the front seat.

"That's right, they'll be looking for that jeep we drove up in. Didn't I tell you it was genius to do rent a moving van? We drop the van off in someone's drive and take the van away. Simple, easy, efficient, and foolproof. No one would ever suspect such a bulky vehicle!" This man sounded like the leader, Alex thought.

"Where are we going?" This man was apparently in the passenger's seat.

"Oh, we're just going to drive around for a bit. They've probably got checkpoints on all the highways and there'll be officers patrolling the streets. If we have to make a video with the kid, then it'll look like an office building, so they'll stop looking around the town's outskirts; then we can leave then for another place to hide. With luck, we'll get our cash and can drop the kid off without doing that, though." Sure enough, Alex noted the back part of the car was decorated like an office.

"Oh shoot!" the other man cried. "I forgot to say we'd drop off the brat in that email I sent to the police."

"Great. You know just as well as I do that we can't possibly make contact with the government again without being traced. We'll have to make the video and send it to the media now – the government is not going to pay without some more persuasion. It's your mistake, so you do it!"

Alex stilled as the moving van stopped. He heard the back door open but knew better than to call out. He looked up when he heard rustling behind him, presumably the henchman opening the back door.

The door was closed and Alex saw a man with a mask on holding a knife. Alex's eyes widened as he realized the man's intentions. The man looked at Alex and saw he was awake.

"Hey, kid, no hard feelings, okay? I want to get this done with as soon as you do," he said apologetically. The man reached up to a video camera and turned it on. He started holding up signs, obviously with some text. Alex didn't speak, for he guessed the camera lacked sound. Alex leaned away from the man as he approached. "Kid, scream if you want, but the camera's got no sound. Just look really scared, alright? I don't want to do this either."

"Then why are you?" Alex replied. He kept his expression calm and collected. He could kick the man if he had to.

"Money," was the short answer. Alex's kicking plan failed when the man moved behind Alex to work; it would let the camera see everything, Alex realized. The man proceeded to cut Alex's shirt down the middle, from top to bottom. The man opened the 'jacket' he made, but not enough to see Alex's scar. Alex remained emotionless, even as the knife drew several lines across his chest and blood trickled from where the blade had touched. The man went back to the front and held up a few more signs. Alex felt faint as more blood trickled out of him, but he didn't let it show. The man ended the video.

The other more-leader-like kidnapper entered the back of the vehicle and watched the video. "Darn kid, you've got one heck of a poker face," he said. "Well, time to deliver to the media. Don't move, kid. If you do, I'll need to use this" – the man held up a wet handkerchief – "to make you stop. Go," he commanded the other man. The henchman wheeled a motorcycle out the back of the van, down a ramp, and onto the pavement. The motorcycle had been out of sight under a tarp, not in the camera's view. The moving van remained parked.

Alex watched in silence as the man drove off with a video.

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Wolf frowned as he looked at the video he received. He couldn't see the kid's face, but the color red was vivid. It was around 6:00 PM, and now there was a hostage situation.

"One thing's for sure: that's not an office building," commented another officer, who watched over Wolf's shoulder. "See, the desk is broken and the walls are wrong." Wolf nodded in agreement.

One question was in their minds: where was that kid?

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AN: I hope you like it!

I wanted to write a cliff-hanger; I did so for every chapter. Everyone's jumping off cliffs, so I will too!

But I hate cliff-hangers when I read them, so I posted all the chapters at once. I suppose that defeated the purpose... Pace yourselves!


	2. Invitation

AN: Please enjoy.

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The next day, nothing had been achieved, and even Satellite Intelligence had been unable to locate a plausible building. Wolf was irritated. It was his job to find and save civilian hostages, and he couldn't locate one kid! He needed to think, so he went out for some air.

Outside, the sun was rising. Wolf clambered onto his motorcycle and began to drive around.

As he drove by a nearly empty parking lot, he spotted a moving van. It caught his attention because the back door was closed during the day-light hours- shouldn't a normal moving company be working right now? Wolf wondered if it was something to worry about, especially since it was parked in a suspicious place- who would rest in a parking lot during the day?

The back door of the van opened, allowing him to watch a man exit. His yawn told Wolf the man had been sleeping. As he half-fell out of the van, much to the complaints of another man in the vehicle, the door opened enough for the sunlight to enter. The wallpaper inside was clearly from the video.

As he cursed to himself and pulled out a radio to call for backup, a second man- clearly the mastermind- leaned out, noticed him, and shouted an expletive from the back and for the klutzy man to go. The van took off a moment later, and Wolf followed.

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By running a few red lights, the rest of the squad started to join in. At least 3 cars and 2 motorbikes were chasing the moving van within the next 10 minutes.

The two cars pulled up alongside the vehicle, while traffic was skillfully maneuvered out of the vicinity by the local police. The SAS had these local roads to themselves, shared only by the fugitive vehicle.

A megaphone was held out near the getaway car's driver's seat. "Stop the vehicle, now!" the man behind it called.

"Sorry, no can do, I'm just the driver!" shouted the henchman. To himself, he added, "Even if I did torture the kid." He frowned; it was amoral for him, but he didn't want his partner in crime to sell him out to the police like he threatened to.

The chase continued, and a blockade was starting to be arranged ahead. The driver, despite his previous blunders, chose to head to a main road, forcing the SAS to retreat to behind the vehicle due to unavoidable traffic. None of the SAS were able to get in front.

The man in back opened the door. Alex was still unconscious, not only from exhaustion from staying up but from a lack of blood. The blood loss wasn't serious yet, just tiring, and luckily some of the cuts had congealed already. The man had Alex in his arms against the rolling chair, one of which held a knife to Alex's neck. The threat was clear. Back off or the kid would die or be hurt. Even better for the bad man, Alex practically acted as a shield from darts due to his position.

Wolf noticed who the kid was. "Cub!" he called out. One of the other motorbike riders cocked an eyebrow. The knife made a tiny cut into Alex's neck, allowing a trickle to flow down his neck. He awoke.

From Alex's perspective, once he got his bearings, his life was in danger. The SAS could not back off or risk losing the vehicle. Satellite Intelligence could track, but now the kidnappers knew that authorities had located them. The kidnappers may pull something again if the SAS left Alex with them. Alex knew this. He also knew that if the SAS didn't back off, the man holding him hostage might hurt him.

He looked out the windows and saw the chase was taking place on a few familiar streets that would lead into an intersection with a main street that could not be bypassed safely, assuming red lights meant 'go'. Not only would that endanger the moving van, if the SAS wasn't careful, there could be some collateral damage.

Apparently, the kidnapper with Alex knew this, for he called to the driver, "Take a left, next street!" Alex decided to take matters into his own hands, forming a quick escape route using his knowledge of the streets and the material around him.

Even though he had awoken and opened his eyes, the kidnappers hadn't noticed. Taking advantage of this, Alex pushed the chair into the man, startling him. He bit down on the man's hand, and the man dropped the knife. Alex's plan failed; when he tried to stand, he found his duct taped hands restrained him to a sitting position better than he thought they would have. Had his plan worked, he would have subdued the man, and the SAS would have been able to pass the car as it turned, stopping it without having to worry about Alex's safety. There wasn't time to rip the tape; Alex just wanted to stand up and kick the man.

The man had retrieved the knife and spun Alex in the chair to face him. "You dirty brat!" he shouted, raising the knife as if to kill Alex. Alex responded without thinking. He kicked the man's stomach from the seated position, hoping it might be somewhat effective. The rolling chair had greased wheels, and it slipped backwards out of the van. At the same time, the van turned left as instructed. It satisfyingly slammed the kidnapper into the wall, but more importantly, Alex was now headed straight for the busy intersection.

_Time for plan B_, thought Alex. He had just thought of it. The road was smooth, so he wouldn't be thrown off the chair and balance should be easily kept on the way there, but it was slanted down a bit, so Alex was accelerating. Alex remembered a bump near the bottom, one that was almost like a ski jump but smaller. Alex was also on the wrong side of the road (_AN below_). The traffic lights loomed ahead, and the cars were going side-to-side in Alex's view. The buildings prevented oncoming cars from seeing him; if he continued with his current path, he would most certainly be the cause of a major car accident.

(_AN: I don't remember which it is in Britain- please tell me so I can clarify. Do you drive on the left or the right? Alex is riding on the one you aren't supposed to, by the way._)

Wolf frowned. He and one SAS automobile had followed Alex, but things looked like they were stacked against him. He didn't think he could approach Alex on his motorbike in time; Wolf had braked when the car turned, unsure of which way to go. The SAS car was ahead of him, but it lacked the means to pull Alex on board in time.

Alex ripped the tape after a few attempts. Carefully, he put his feet on the chair's legs and used the lever to raise the chair to its maximum height. Alex proceeded to crouch on the chair when he got closer to the bump.

The chair bounced up when it hit the bump. As it hit the ground on the way down, Alex tensed. The gas in the chair compressed, making it more like a trampoline. Alex leapt.

The chair and Alex with his arms up put together had been about 2 meters. The jump added another half-meter. The makeshift spring from the chair added the last distance to allow Alex to grab the traffic light's horizontal bar with both hands.

Alex winced as he watched the rolling chair move into the sideways traffic. It hit at least 3 cars before it was ejected out the other side. Fortunately, no real harm was done besides a few dents on the cars.

Wolf pulled up his motorbike almost underneath Alex. Would he need help, especially with the blood loss? Wolf watched as Alex pulled himself up onto the pole, using the traffic lights to stabilize his balance.

Alex carefully made his way to the sidewalk 3 meters or so from the ground. Wolf had pulled off to the side, thankfully, so traffic wasn't badly impeded. Using the walking traffic light and the street sign, Alex lowered himself to the ground.

Snake, of all people, was one of the people in the SAS car. Another man stepped out with him onto the curb where the car was parked. They ran over to Alex with a first aid kit.

Alex's adrenaline rush wore off, and blood-loss symptoms were showing. Furthermore, a few of the cuts on his chest had reopened. He was leaning heavily on the traffic light post with lidded eyes. Wolf looked like he wasn't sure what to do.

"Get him on the ground, and lay him face-up," called Snake as he and his assistant rummaged through the first-aid kit. Wolf obliged, and Alex really couldn't stand on his own. Snake parted his already-cut shirt far enough to reveal his scar.

Snake blinked. Wolf widened his eyes. The assistant coughed them to attention, holding antiseptic and bandages. He hadn't looked at Alex yet. Shaking their heads, Snake and Wolf jumped into action.

Alex gradually passed out during the first aid and was taken to the hospital shortly after.

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"When do you think he'll wake up?" said one voice.

"I'd guess he was up most of the night, and combine that with blood loss. I don't know," said another.

Alex blearily opened his eyes. He was in the hospital. "Oh, he's awake!" Wolf exclaimed. "How do you feel?"

"Not too bad, thanks," replied Alex. After analyzing the 2 SAS men's expressions, he tentatively asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Snake spoke first. "Cub, what was that scar? Right above your heart, if not on it."

"…"

"Cub," said Wolf, "you can tell us; we're not going to tell, and we've signed the Official Secrets Act for what we've seen already. A bit more won't kill us."

Alex sighed. "I got involved in a criminal organization and, out of revenge for betrayal, they tried to kill me." His succinct answer basically said 'don't ask'. Alex was also unsure of whether they had the clearance required.

Wolf sighed, and Snake massaged his temples. They were mulling over what to say, but both gave up prying after a few thoughts.

Wolf spoke after a minute. "Your injuries weren't serious, so you'll be discharged almost immediately. Your housekeeper has been informed that you are alright, and I've okayed this with her if you want, so..." Wolf paused. "I felt I didn't do much this time or as much as I should have, and I'm on leave, so..."

"You did leave me hanging," Alex said, thoughtfully.

"Gosh, Wolf, just ask him!" Snake cried, exasperated. Seeing Wolf's sheepish look, Snake rolled his eyes and spoke for him. "Okay, Cub, Wolf wants to know if you want to go the new Science Museum opening in town today with us. What do you say?"

Alex thought it over quickly. Who knows, it might help his school studies. "Sure, why not?"

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AN: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it.


	3. Science Museum

AN: My third fan-fiction's third part.

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Alex watched the pointed Foucault's Pendulum in the middle of the central lobby as it knocked down another pin. It was encased in glass, but its sheer size was stunning, as it went up 3 floors- he wondered why such a large display was needed to show the Earth spins. It was most likely for show.

Wolf and Snake also looked up at the massive display before them. It was a nice building, tall, and similar to an office building with a basement, plus a few rooms here and there. It didn't have any extensions on the ground; it just went straight up.

"What do you think?" asked Wolf, unsure of Alex's preferences.

"Let's look at the aquarium above here. I'm sure it has something interesting, and I've missed that section in school. It's on the finals," he explained.

Snake nodded. "And I assume you've been missing school because of your part-time job?" he asked, wary of spectators.

"Yes, but I always say that I was sick."

"I see," muttered Wolf. The threesome observed the pendulum for a few more minutes, and then went upstairs to view the aquarium.

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"You're the medic, not me!" Wolf hissed at Snake.

"Come on, Wolf, I don't need to know how the human body works exactly, as long as I can fix it!" Snake hissed back.

Alex sighed. Bringing these two into the human body exhibit was clearly a mistake. Wolf was the one answering most of Alex's questions, and he finally could not answer one. Wolf had turned to Snake, and now they were arguing. Snake apparently could help your health, but not your brains.

"It's alright, you guys, I don't need to know exactly what cushions your bones. It says cartilage here, so I'll just remember that," Alex proclaimed. Really, what exactly was cartilage? Was it fat, or something else?

Snake replied after a calming, deep breath. "I can't tell you much about cartilage, Cub, but I do know that without it, bones moving against each other will hurt like you wouldn't believe. That's what causes arthritis, a immensely painful joint malfunction common in elderly. Their fingers' joints' cartilage wears out, and then it becomes difficult for them to move their fingers. I don't know of a cure. If you've ever dislocated something, you'll know what I mean by immense pain."

"Dislocate what?"

"Yes, it's when one of your joints is pulled out of its proper position, so that your bone's ball isn't in the socket," replied Wolf. "It's not fun, and normally someone else has to pop it in."

Snake nodded. "I can fix those, except if it's your spine. I might kill you by mistake." A smirk and a wink told Alex he was joking. "I've heard some of your coworkers can dislocate their own limbs, though, so that they can escape bindings, such as handcuffs and straight jackets." Snake paused. "Can you dislocate your limbs?"

"No, and from what you've told me, it hurts a lot. I don't want to," Alex replied.

"Well, I'll teach you," said Snake. "See, it's not that hard. Wolf, help me out." Wolf held Alex's left arm out straight by the wrist and put gentle pressure on his elbow tip. Alex cocked an eyebrow, nervous, while wondering what was going to happen.

Wolf caught the anxiety. "We're not going to dislocate it, Cub, just walk you up to it. And back, I suppose. That would be good for you to know."

Snake took up the lecture. "See, all you need to do from here is this." He demonstrated on his own arm. "Just turn your palm face-up, and then, combined with the pressure Wolf's putting on your elbow, press your left hand towards Wolf. It'll pop right out."

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but could you please take this somewhere else more private?" a security officer requested. "I think you're disturbing some of our other guests." Sure enough, a mother nearby was looking at them strangely, and her two kids were holding onto her dress with frightened looks in their eyes.

Snake, the more gentlemanly of the two adults, spoke, "Yes, right away ma'am. We just got caught up in our discussion about cartilage." The security guard gave them a strange look before walking off.

"Maybe some other time, Cub," was all Wolf dejectedly said after dropping Alex's arm.

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Near closing time at 10:00, they were looking around in the basement of the museum. It had a magnificent exhibit explaining rocks and the science within them. Alex read everything, trying hard to take in every detail- there was a chapter on geology he had missed.

"I'm going to be a minute," said Wolf suddenly. He vaguely gestured in the direction of the washrooms. Snake joined him, leaving Alex to his own devices.

Alex walked around the exhibit again, taking in the graphics. He had seen most everything, so he went over to the floor plan (or fire plan) of the building out of curiosity. It was across from the restroom, he noted. Looking at it, he realized the restrooms weren't underneath the building itself. They were branched off from it, underneath a street. It was also empty in the basement; no one seemed to be interested in sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous rocks. Alex also guessed that the late time might have warded off most visitors.

The P.A. system came on. "Ladies and gentlemen, the museum will be closing in 5 minutes. Please-" The announcer was interrupted by another person, also using the P.A. system.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began with a maleficent tone, "please realize we are doing this in the name of God. We may be trialed for murder when we are caught, but God will forsake our sins! You ignorant _scientists_ will have to die, for there is only one way under God. Let this act persuade others to believe in the Lord!" He spoke highly of his God, obviously preaching.

Alex wondered what the man was going to do, when the whole building shuddered as an explosion occurred. It was starting to collapse slowly, as the supports were fairly strong. He leapt back as part of the ceiling crashed into the floor where he had been standing.

"Cub!" called Wolf as he rushed out of the restroom. Evidently, he had heard the announcement and had gathered that the building was self-destructing. He began to run to Alex, who was standing near the exit. Snake followed him.

"Stay in there, the restroom is not under the building according to the floor plan!" Alex cried back as the exit was blocked off by more rubble. "I'll come!"

The SAS men had slowed uncertainly when the exit was destroyed, but they stopped altogether at Alex's new declaration. They started for the restroom. The ceiling above the middle had fallen, so they hopped over various fragments as Alex joined them.

A creak from above startled Alex, and he realized they were beneath Foucault's Pendulum. He looked up and saw it above them through the freshly opened ceiling. With a short cry, he barreled into Snake as the cable supporting the bob snapped. The pointed end pierced his shirt's side under Alex's arm and pulled Alex to the ground. The bob remained upright, its tip supported by the debris in the ground.

Wolf and Snake stopped, but Alex shouted for them to go. They hesitantly obliged, apparently seeing the futility of the situation, and ran into the restroom wearing dark expressions.

Meanwhile, Alex tried to wriggle out of his shirt. Luckily, the pendulum's tip only went through the shirt's side, leaving him unharmed but trapped. He managed to get all of his limbs out of the cloth except for his left arm. It was tightly caught by the shirt. Alex struggled.

A gush of water came from the aquarium above. Luckily, most of the building's sides had yet to collapse, and the pendulum bob's large side shielded Alex from debris in the water. The restroom door was open, but the SAS men weren't visible. If Alex could get free, then he could still make it to safety.

Alex managed to free half his arm, so his elbow's tip was pressed against the shiny copper underside of the pendulum. Water ran down the side of the pendulum, soaking Alex. Unfortunately, it made the pendulum shift a little, tightening Alex's shirt. He slammed into the ground as his arm was forced straight.

His circulation was nearly cut off. Even so, Alex did what he thought was best. Reaching around with his right arm, he dislocated his left elbow like Snake had demonstrated. The pain was masked by adrenaline, and for that he was thankful. Bending his arm the wrong way, Alex managed to escape the pendulum with a great deal of effort. He stood and ran to the restroom. As he approached, he dove under a falling piece that would have cut him off. He landed in the restroom on his back, and behind him the exit was closed.

"Cub!" cried Snake with a great deal of enthusiasm. He helped Alex stand under Wolf's gaze. Wolf looked at Alex's elbow.

"Did you...," Wolf started, but quickly stopped. The lights were still on in the restroom. "Snake, can you fix his elbow?"

Snake looked down at Alex's crooked arm. "Oh shoot! Wolf, restrain his good arm, and hold him up." A loud crash beyond the restroom's blockade, followed by numerous others, told them that the other room was now officially crushed. They were trapped for certain.

"Right away." Wolf stepped behind Alex and slid his arms around Alex, securing Alex's right arm while supporting Alex's head using his chest and a hand.

Alex's adrenaline wore off. Snake moved Alex's elbow into the position that would allow the arm to be fixed. Alex gasped. Quickly, Snake bent Alex's arm and twisted his wrist.

Alex would have shrieked with pain as the bones in his arm popped into place, but Wolf had kindly choked him during that moment. Whether it was for Alex's dignity or to be merciful to Snake's conscience, Alex didn't know. Alex's knees buckled, but Wolf held him up, true to his word. For a moment, no one spoke.

"Cub?" asked Snake, quietly. "Are you okay?"

"Call me Alex," Alex whispered, unsure of how he was. His arm did feel better, but he was a bit dizzy. At least, he was standing on his own, even if he was still leaning against Wolf.

"Alright then, Alex," said Snake, "are you okay?"

"My arm feels better, but aren't you guys supposed to ask your patients before you do first aid?" Alex asked quietly.

Snake stared at him and smiled sheepishly after a moment. "Yes, but doesn't it feel nicer to have your elbow in place? Maybe it hurt a little, but you got professional help. Right away, may I add. Try not to move it too much, alright?"

Alex didn't reply. Instead, he stood still, not leaning as much against Wolf as before. Wolf was still holding him, uncertain of whether Alex could stand on his own.

"I'm cold," Alex said, after a moment of assessing himself. He was wet and shirtless, and the air conditioner had been on high earlier. They were also underground, where it was cool. The ventilation shaft in the corner also wasn't helping to warm the room, even if it would help them stay alive. As if to prove his point, a spasm of shivering wracked his body for a moment.

"It's alright, here," murmured Wolf soothingly, half-dragging Alex to the hand dryers that used hot air. "This should work." Snake nodded and pressed the button once Wolf maneuvered Alex under the fan, while holding him off the cold ground. Each of them retreated to their own thoughts.

Here they were, trapped under a lot of wreckage with probably no one aware of their location or living status. Furthermore, there was no food. Alex was drenched, and had gotten Wolf somewhat wet too. At least, there was some heat, light, and water.

The fan blew for about 20 more seconds before it switched off, and the lights went out. No one spoke for a long minute.

"Well," said Alex, breaking the silence, "now what?"

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AN: I hope you liked this part as well.


	4. Saved

AN: Here I am, for your fourth section. Please enjoy!

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"Ideas?" asked Alex.

"None," replied Wolf. "We're stuck. We can live for maybe three days on just water, but I'd say the wreckage will take a good week to clear up."

Snake was grateful for the dark. He was quite forlorn, but at least Alex, the youngest, could not see his face. "We'll need to stay warm if we want to live even three days," he mentioned in response to chattering teeth by the youth.

"Wait- Wolf, what are you-" Alex cut off as Wolf sat on the floor, legs straight out. He had placed Alex on his lap and pulled Alex up to his chest tightly.

"You're going to die, if you get too cold," murmured Snake, guessing what Wolf had done. "It's better the way you are right now, if I'm guessing right. I don't think there are paper towels in here, so you're going to be wet, and air-drying will cool you off more."

"How so?" challenged Alex.

Wolf chuckled. "You did miss a good deal of school, if even I can answer that one. It's really simple." He paused as Alex shivered violently again. Then he started.

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(_AN: Please skip this section if you aren't interested in how evaporation works. The dividers above and below are only to help readers who dislike science. Yes, this is my original work here; I learned this in school._)

"The water on your skin has a lot of molecules, or tiny bits, in it. They are held together in a liquid form by hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding is from the polarity of a water molecule, like a magnet's poles. Oxygen has a high electronegativity, meaning the oxygen atom pulls the electrons that the hydrogen and oxygen share towards itself more than hydrogen, so that it gains a negative charge while the hydrogen is more positive. Electrons are tiny bits of matter with a negative charge, if you didn't know.

"You'll also need to know about temperature. It's very simple; all the molecules of water are moving around quickly. They don't all move at the same pace, and temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is energy of motion. The faster the particles are moving, the higher the temperature and the warmer you feel.

"Like I said earlier, all of the water molecules are moving around quickly, but some far more than others. The fastest ones escape to the atmosphere, because the hydrogen bonds can't hold those quicker ones in the liquid form. That's called evaporation, the fancy form of 'drying off'.

"Now, when the fast ones move out of the atmosphere, the slower ones are left behind. Now, the remaining particles are moving slower altogether so the temperature drops. Then you feel cooler, but your body makes more heat, transmitting heat to the water by conduction- that is, by physical contact. Plus, heat never spontaneously flows from cold to hot. The water, however, uses that heat to escape to the atmosphere, cooling you even more."

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Alex interrupted Wolf's explanation. "Great," he began sarcastically, "that helps a lot."

"Aw, Alex, don't be that way," chided Snake. "Wolf was only trying to answer your question. You did ask for it." Wolf snorted at Snake's choice of words.

Alex sighed. "I'm going to sleep." Wolf acknowledged that statement by pulling him a little closer and resting Alex's head on the side of his neck. "Thanks," slurred Alex as he fell asleep.

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Alex had no idea what time it was when he woke up. He noticed right away that he was definitely cold, but perhaps not as much as before. He was dry, at least. Once the morning-daze wore off, he also noted he was now in Snake's embrace- the two SAS soldiers had slightly different physiques.

"Good morning," he yawned.

"Good afternoon," replied Wolf, who was sitting somewhere nearby. It was pitch black. "You were out cold-" Snake snickered "-for at least 14 hours."

"You were awake the entire time?" exclaimed Alex, suddenly wondering if Snake wanted to protect him from an angry Wolf.

"No, we took shifts," answered Snake, who spoke with a heavier Liverpool accent than normal. He must have been tired. "I slept for seven first, then Wolf did. But we don't have a clock, so we're estimating."

"Oh." No one spoke for a long time. There was nothing to say.

Alex shuddered from the cold again. "I wish I didn't shiver so much," he muttered into the fabric of Snake's shirt.

"Oh no, Alex, that's an important body function," Snake amended. "Allow me to explain."

-------

(_AN: Please skip this section if you aren't interested in what homeostasis is. The dividers above and below are only to help readers who dislike science._)

"It's really simple, you see, because your body requires a certain set of conditions to function. Your heart can't pump if there's too much blood pressure, and you won't have energy to move if there's not enough glucose, or sugar, in your bloodstream. The right set of conditions to keep you healthy is called homeostasis. More importantly, there are a lot of proteins in your body.

"These proteins exist in many forms, including enzymes, which are catalysts; they help reactions occur in your body, like digestion. These proteins only exist under certain conditions. Temperature is vital; if it's too hot or cold, the proteins will denature, meaning they break down and lose whatever function they originally had. You can easily die if too many proteins change.

"Lucky for you, your body has a negative feedback system. That means if something changes, your body tries to change it back right away. You've got neurons- or sensory cells- that detect temperature, called thermoreceptors. There are also chemoreceptors for chemical sensing, like your nose; photoreceptors for light sensing, like your eyes; mechanical receptors for movement; and pain receptors for detecting injury to tissues.

"If you get too cold, your body shivers. This works to heat up your body because your muscles' cells perform cellular respiration, or the process of extracting energy from glucose, or sugars. There's excess energy left over that is heat. Unfortunately, you might tire out, so it's a good sign that you're shivering.

"And finally, if you get too hot, you'll sweat. Actually, believe it or not, there's a bit of urea in sweat. It's the stuff that makes urine what it is. Anyhow, the sweat evaporates and cools you off."

-------

Alex quickly spoke when Snake seemed ready to continue. "Thanks, I don't need to know how evaporation works, again." He wondered just how nerdy these two were.

"I know, I've covered it," piped up Wolf with some pride. Alex rolled his eyes.

"Well, Alex, what else are we supposed to do?" protested Snake in his defense. "There's virtually nothing to do, except talk. Oh yeah, would you like some water?"

"Sure," replied Alex. "And I don't want to know how my bodily functions work, thanks."

"I'll get it," said Wolf. There were cups in this restroom, for some reason. Wolf made little noise as he stood to fetch some water. He swore when wind whipped the cup out of his hand.

"What is it?" inquired Alex, confused.

"It's the darn ventilation shaft; it's giving us air with a little too much breeze!" Wolf muttered.

"How big is it?" Alex questioned.

"Oh gosh, Alex, don't tell me..." Snake's voice trailed off.

Wolf had caught on. "You could fit, hypothetically. I mean, it's about one and a half feet high and only two across, so we can't."

Alex nodded, but in the dark, only Snake felt it. "I'll go."

Snake worried a bit. "Are you sure? It's a tight fit, dark, probably cold, and you don't know the way to the surface."

Alex scoffed. "Believe me, I fear death more. I don't want to die here." Someone's stomach rumbled in agreement.

"Sorry," muttered Wolf.

Alex smiled in the dark. "May I escape, you two nerds?"

"Hold on, how do we open the shaft?" Snake wondered.

"You got any change?" Alex asked.

Wolf snorted, and the sound of twisting screws echoed in the stalls. After a few minutes, a heavy clang was heard when the grate came off.

"Hold it," said Wolf. He turned to the vent and shouted. "Hey! We are here!"

There was no reply, so Alex got ready.

"Alex, be careful, alright? Come back if you can't make it or you feel you might get lost. Shout if you do, we might be able to hear," ordered Snake. "Wear my T-shirt; metal is a good conductor of heat, so you'll need it."

"Right." Alex put on Snake's shirt. The two SAS men gave Alex a leg-up and helped him into the vent.

Alex started to move forward in the dark, one movement at a time. His left arm protested a bit, seeing as it had been dislocated earlier, but Alex ignored it.

Alex went a good 5 yards, sticking to the right side all the while. He was tired from the physical exertion, and it seemed safest to stick to one side. He could just stick to the left on the way back, right? There had been a few forks, but he knew where to go.

He went a few more yards, then felt his internal calmness shake. It was dark and lonely, and he was really in no condition to do this. Panic gripped him for a second, but he grasped his mind before he truly lost it. He knew he could go back, but then this would be pointless. Alex egged himself on, knowing the exit must be somewhere.

After what felt like an eternity in the worst of places, touch of light appeared to Alex's left. _Okay, just one right turn, then follow the left to get back_, he thought. He clambered to stand in the small area; it wasn't easy, because it was a small space, and the shaft didn't go beyond it. It was a dead end.

"Hey! Hey!" Alex cried through the vent, squinting into the sun. He noted that he had gone quite a ways, and that if he had shouted from the restroom, it would be unlikely that he would get a response.

A rescue worker above heard him. "Oh my gosh! Ted, Barry, get over here now!"

-------

The grate was lifted. Alex couldn't see, but he felt a pair of arms hoist him up. A thick blanket was wrapped around him. He was given food and water, but he didn't eat.

"Two of my friends are still down there," he started telling one rescue worker, who was attending to him.

"I know, hon. I know. It's okay, they'll be alright," she said, soothingly, with a motherly touch.

"No, no! They're still alive! You don't understand! I know where they are!" Alex nearly shouted a bit too emotionally.

She took it the wrong way, think Alex was delusional. "Oh, hon, I don't know what to say to you. It's going to be okay, don't worry."

Alex calmed himself, and then tried to reason with the woman. "Alright, let me prove it to you. They are down there. The restrooms on the basement floor aren't under the building, and they are still intact. Please, we three all made it."

The woman looked at him, trying to read him. "That's not proof. But it's okay, you'll be fine in a minute. Do you have a home phone number?"

"Yes, I do, but I'm not going to give it to you. Let me prove it." Alex thought of a simple idea.

The woman pursed her lips. "Dear me, you leave little choice." She was obviously frustrated with this insolent child. She let Alex stand and walk over to the grate.

Alex kneeled over it, and shouted into it to the startling of many of the rescue workers. "Hey! He-e-e-e-e-ey! Answer me!"

The woman bent over with him. A very faint cry was heard in response. "Alex?" came the bellowed answer.

More rescue workers came over. Chatter was heard throughout. "Who's down there?" "They sent up a child?" "What's going on?" and so forth.

Alex turned to the woman. "See?"

The woman was dumbfounded. Luckily, one of her superiors relieved her.

"Good job, kid. We know where to work. Thanks," he rattled off, before turning away to organize a dig into the restrooms.

-------

Alex was sitting in an ambulance when Jack came running up. She had taken the tube.

"Alex, oh my gosh! Are you alright? What happened?" she called.

Alex smiled at Jack's tones. "I'm fine. The science museum was a blast."

Jack frowned. "Seriously, what happened?"

"I was in the basement with the 2 guys you talked with earlier, and they helped me get into a safe place. I was the only one who could fit in a vent, so I went."

Jack sighed. "Well, they'll be okay. I'm taking you home, now. Find out about them later, alright? Let's go."

The head rescue worker seemed uncomfortable as he approached Jack and Alex. "Excuse me, there's a slight problem," he began.

Jack leveled him off with a stare. "Yes; this boy here is tired and in need of a good rest at home. He has school tomorrow."

The rescue worker seemed sullen. "I'm very sorry, but it's going to take at least 3 days to dig down into the place where he was." The man turned to Alex. "Would you be willing to deliver supplies to your friends?"

Jack answered. "No, he's not. He did plenty already. He's told you where they are, and he's tired. He will be coming home now. And I mean now," she added, looking at Alex.

Alex looked at the grate. "I have to, Jack, they're my friends, even if they weren't always. I can't abandon them, and besides, I'm the only one small enough." Jack closed her eyes, relenting.

"Go."

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AN: Conclusions, conclusions. It's a happy ending! It's the same length as the other chapter or shorter if you didn't read the science bits.


	5. The End

AN: If you're reading this, thank you for your support! I do apologize; this chapter is very anticlimactic and too short for my liking. My imagination gave out.

I hope you enjoyed my cliff-hangers!

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Alex was given a sack with food, lights, blankets, and a walkie-talkie. It would last 5 days. The rescue workers knew about the water and cups, so they hadn't bothered with that. Alex was lowered head-first into the ventilation shaft. He made his way back to the restroom, pushing the load in front of him.

"Wolf, Snake!" he shouted when he knew he was near.

"Alex! What was that shout about earlier? We were so worried!" chastised Snake.

"Sorry, I got rescued, but they thought I was crazy when I said you two were alive. I needed proof," he explained quickly.

"Then what are you doing here?" Wolf asked.

Alex grinned. "I'm here with supplies. Hungry?"

-------

Alex had climbed out of the dungeon after delivery and returned home, but not before giving the two SAS men instructions to tell him they were alright after this ordeal via the phone. On Thursday, he received a call.

Alex answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Alex! It's me, Snake, with Wolf, and we were just calling to let you know we're fine."

"Thanks." A silence ensued.

"So, Alex, are you up to another trip with us? I still feel kinda bad about not doing that much," Wolf admitted over the phone.

"Sure- as long as it's not too cool."

"Ha, ha, Alex. Don't worry, we were thinking about zip-lining instead. It's outdoors, not much chance of accidents. What do you say? This weekend?" Snake invited.

"Sure."

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AN: This ending seemed sufficient to me. I don't have another chapter, but I have a vague idea for one, if people really want that.

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it! (I am now a qualified beta-reader!)


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